Churches aim to bring truth and justice to politics with latest resources

26 February 2015

Four of the UK's major churches have produced a set of election
resources designed to better equip Christians to view and interpret
the policies and promises put forward by political parties in the
run up to May's General Election.

The "Love your neighbour: think, pray, vote" resource pack,
produced by the Joint Public Issues Team of the Baptist Union of
Great Britain, the Methodist Church, the United Reformed Church and
the Church of Scotland, includes short films, with accompanying
Bible studies, prayers and postcards, all focusing on four key
themes of truth, justice, peace and wellbeing. The pack, which was
launched at Saturday's Love your
neighbour: Think, Pray, Vote conference, costs just £7.50 (plus
postage and packing) and is available to buy here.

Commending the resources, the Revd Stephen Keyworth, Faith and
Society Team Leader of the Baptist Union, said: "The aim of this
pack is not to put forward any particular political view, but to
offer the four lenses of truth, justice, peace and wellbeing which
Christians can use to view and interpret the messages and promises
we receive from candidates and canvassers. While not exclusively
Christian terms, we believe these get to the heart of God's purpose
for human society. Our hope and vision is that every member of our
churches will enter the polling booth on Election Day, conscious
that above everything else, they are called to be followers of
Jesus."

"The words 'truth' and 'politics' are rarely used in the same
sentence nowadays", added Dr Andrew Bradstock, the United Reformed
Church's Secretary for Church and Society: "A recent poll suggests
there's been a massive erosion of trust in politicians in recent
years, making it more important than ever that people of faith
engage in the political process and challenge candidates and
parties about their commitment to truth-telling, keeping their
promises and holding themselves accountable. We're encouraging
voters to ask candidates what their party would do to ensure that
there is honesty and integrity within places which exercise power
in our country - in the worlds of business, finance, the unions,
politics and the media, for example."

The Revd Sally Foster-Fulton, Convener of the Church and Society
Council of the Church of Scotland, said: "Last year's Scottish
referendum showed that voters do fully engage with politics when
the outcome is important to them and they believe their voice will
be heard. We are hoping that this election will similarly
engage voters: this election matters - and when we enter the
polling booth as Christians, it is an opportunity to live out the
gospel bias for the poor and vote in the interests of the common
good."

Other election resources, including JPIT's Faith in Politics
briefing - on a range of issues from housing to the economy, and
from religious freedom to democracy - and the Churches Together in
Britain and Ireland guide to holding hustings, are available
from the JPIT
website.

Notes:

1. The Joint Public
Issues Team combines the expertise of the Baptist Union, the Church
of Scotland, the Methodist Church and the United Reformed Church in
the area of public issues. The Team aims to enable our three
Churches to work together in living out the gospel of Christ in the
Church and in wider society. It aims to promote equality and
justice by influencing those in power and by energising and
supporting local congregations.

2. The Love your
neighbour: Think, pray, vote election resource pack includes a DVD
containing four short films suitable for use in Sunday services;
prayers which root the message of each film in worship; ten copies
each of four postcards which carry reminders of the themes and four
short Bible studies, each containing questions for reflection and
discussion on one of the four themes of truth, justice, peace and
wellbeing. These could be incorporated into a sermon, used in
weekly Bible study or house groups, or as a devotional resource for
individuals.